The Viva Voce Choral Series features the Brock Chamber Choir and Women’s Choir as well as Avanti Chamber Singers (avantisingers.com), who serve as Ensemble-in-Residence for the Department of Music.
Under the direction of conductor Rachel Rensink-Hoff, these excellent choirs perform multiple concerts throughout the academic year. They have also engaged in community outreach, collaborated with choirs in Canada and the U.S., and produced CD recordings of works by Niagara composers.
2019-20 Performances:
Brock University Choirs
Brock Choirs in Concert
Rachel Rensink-Hoff, Conductor
Date: Saturday, November 30, 2019
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Recital Hall, FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines
Tickets: Order tickets from the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre Box Office
905 688 0722; 1 855 515 0722; firstontariopac.ca
EDITOR’S NOTE: The April 4 concert has been cancelled as part of Brock University’s ongoing efforts to protect the health and safety of students, faculty, staff and the community in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Brock Choirs in Concert II
Rachel Rensink-Hoff, Conductor
Date: Saturday, April 4, 2020
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Recital Hall, FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines
Tickets: Order tickets from the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre Box Office
905 688 0722; 1 855 515 0722; firstontariopac.ca
Concert program coming soon!
Avanti Chamber Singers
Inner Fire
Rachel Rensink-Hoff, Artistic Director
Lesley Kingham, Pianist
Date: Saturday November 9, 2019
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: St. Thomas’ Anglican Church. 103 Ontario St., St. Catharines ON
Advance Tickets: $20 adults & seniors; $5 student and eyeGo program
Door Tickets: $25 adults; $20 seniors; $5 students and eyeGo program
Order tickets from www.avantisingers.com, Thorold Music & Booksmart, or from choir members
Cello and Choir come together to ignite the fires of passion in Bach’s exuberant motet Lobet Den Herrn, Jocelyn Morlock’s stirring new Canadian classic, Exaudi. Also featured is Jake Runestad’s recently premiered A Silence Haunts Me, a musical adaptation of Beethoven’s letter lamenting the tragedy of his impending hearing loss.
Look North
Rachel Rensink-Hoff, Conductor
Lesley Kingham, Pianist
Date: Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: St. Thomas’ Anglican Church. 103 Ontario St., St. Catharines ON
Advance Tickets: $20 adults & seniors; $5 student and eyeGo program
Door Tickets: $25 adults; $20 seniors; $5 students and eyeGo program
Order tickets from www.avantisingers.com, Thorold Music & Booksmart, or from choir members.
Exploring the Canadian, Scandinavian and Baltic northlands through the eyes of composers Ugis Praulins, Vytautas Miskinis, Urmas Sisask, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, Ola Gjeilo, Kathleen Allan, Nicholas Kelly, Trent Worthington, Jocelyn Hagen, and others. The misty tundras and northern night skies will come to life in this colourful, wintry program.
Voices Raised 2.0
Rachel Rensink-Hoff, Conductor
Lesley Kingham, Pianist
Date: Saturday, April 25, 2020
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: St. Thomas’ Anglican Church. 103 Ontario St., St. Catharines ON
Advance Tickets: $20 adults & seniors; $5 student and eyeGo program
Door Tickets: $25 adults; $20 seniors; $5 students and eyeGo program
Order tickets from www.avantisingers.com, Thorold Music & Booksmart, or from choir members.
This season’s rendition of Voices Raised pushes into complexities of human life in a digital age. Paired with Cecelia McDowall’s A Time for All Seasons-Before Words Fail is Jason Noble’s Furiouser and Spuriouser, a unique commentary on our relationship to new media. Voices of reflection and refuge follow in the music of Eric Whitacre, Sarah Quartel, Shawn Kirchener and Frank Ticheli.
